Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: Free MIDI to Text Converter (Read 9254 times) previous topic - next topic

Free MIDI to Text Converter

Hi all,

There's a nice little DOS program available for free, which lets you convert midi files to text, for analysis, learning, and modification.

It's called MF2T (midi file to text) and comes with the inverse operation T2MF (text to midi file).

I've found it very useful for learning more about the ins and outs (pun intended) of midi, as well as making subtle corrections by hand. E.g. use "Write" search to find all occurrences of instrument patches, to delete redundant or unwanted instrument changes, etc.

It's available from http://ftp://ftp.cs.ruu.nl/pub/MIDI/PROGRAMS/MSDOS as mf2t.zip and mf2t.doc. If you want to dive right in without reading the docs, try the syntax "mf2t -mntv [input.mid] [output.txt]".

This Univ. of Utrecht ftp site has lots of other cool midi (and not-so-midi)-related stuff.

Re: Free MIDI to Text Converter

Reply #1 –
Thanks for the addy. It may be very useful for what I do : transforming MIDI events to part of a C program (music & sound fx on a game)
...And of course to replace all C# to F for instance.

Re: Free MIDI to Text Converter

Reply #2 –
marsu wrote:
>...And of course to replace all C# to F for instance.

!!! I was just going to post a question, asking if anybody had
come up with a way to do this sort of thing. I have many
occasions when I need to find all occurrences of a note and
change them to another note. In a long composition, this
really gets tedious. You've shown me one possible way to
accomplish it; anybody got any other ways? Is there a way
to do such a thing right in NWC?
Thanks!

Re: Free MIDI to Text Converter

Reply #3 –
I'm surprised at how much use I get out of this little program. E.g. search for ProgCh to find patch changes, con=10 to find (or replace or insert) pan settings, insertering metatext comments, and on an on. Glad others are finding it useful too.

IMHO it's too much to expect *any* program to do it all. That's why I try to maintain (and learn) several progs to allow me to take advantage of the strengths of each.

Re: Free MIDI to Text Converter

Reply #4 –
"That's why I try to maintain (and learn) several progs to allow me to take advantage of the strengths of each."
Agreed, so long as there is no loss of information. Unfortunately there is, though. So if I create something in NWC, import to Orchestrator, fiddle there and then publish the midi on the web, it's a right pain to have to go and do the whole process again when I change one or two notes in NWC.

"IMHO it's too much to expect *any* program to do it all"
Agreed. Then we'll all need Pentium 500s just to read "Mary Had a Little Lamb"!

To overcome this needs a better operating system than Windows, IMHO. Linux comes to mind!

Andrew

Re: Free MIDI to Text Converter

Reply #5 –
The ability to carry out global alterations described is one reason the I use Cakewalk.
An Edit Filter that allows global changes to selections controlled by a filter would be a useful tool in NoteWorthy.
One application that comes to mind is changing the Db leading note in D minor to a C# throughout a score.

Re: Free MIDI to Text Converter

Reply #6 –
Andrew wrote:
"To overcome this needs a better operating system than Windows, IMHO. Linux comes to mind!"

Yes. I've recently had my son install Linux in a separate partition on my computer, and I'm bit by bit learning it. All I can say is... Wow.

Barry Graham wrote:

"An Edit Filter that allows global changes to selections controlled by a filter would be a useful tool in
NoteWorthy.
One application that comes to mind is changing the Db leading note in D minor to a C# throughout a
score."

Yes, I agree. I had a similar problem with the Schubert Sonata, Noteworthy insisted on calling B-flats "A#" (in key of C, during tonicizations to F).

Maybe at least Eric can work a way to have such notes labelled more logically, by assigning the value that is closest to the home key (i.e. going around the circle of fifths, B-flat is a lot closer to C than A#).

Re: Free MIDI to Text Converter

Reply #7 –
Yes please. And make sure that the note that could still be sharp or flat (Ab,G# in the key of C) is in fact G# since this is the leading note of the relative minor.

Re: Free MIDI to Text Converter

Reply #8 –
I would like to take it one futher!
I am on the look out for a mp3 to text converter
or mp3 to imelody converter

please e-mail me at debeertinus@starmail.co.za

Re: Free MIDI to Text Converter

Reply #9 –
mp3 > melody.

The closest program you will find is "Amazing Slow Downer" from www.ronimusic.com.
It allows you to transcribe sections of an mp3 file 'by ear' and that's as close as you can get!

Re: Free MIDI to Text Converter

Reply #10 –
sorry should know this but how do i run the mf2t from the dos. Instructions would be great
 

Re: Free MIDI to Text Converter

Reply #11 –
An easy way to change all C# to F is to use the search feature and paste feature.

Find the first C#.  Copy it into the Search dialogue (Ctrl F).  Eliminate the non-essential info in the search window, so you're left just with C#.

Next, find an F.  Highlight it and copy it to your clipboard (Ctrl C).

Start at the beginning of each staff, press F3, Ctrl-V until you've changed them all.

Do the next staff.

It's not as good as having a search/replace all feature, but it's quicker/easier than finding and changing all the C#'s manually.